6 criminal make-up mistakes every Indian bride-to-be must avoid

Amongst the thousand things required to put together an Indian wedding—and make sure it pans out successfully—the last thing you want to do is look back at what is supposed to be the best day of your life, and hate your make-up. While most people are moving towards minimal make-up or the no make-up make-up look in their daily lives, the minute the word ‘bridal’ pops up, it suddenly becomes all about intense smoky eyes, oodles of highlighter and extravagant hairstyles. We got some of Bollywood’s top make-up artists talking about the biggest beauty blunders they’ve seen Indian brides make and how to avoid them.

Go easy on the powderWe know you want to look absolutely flawless but its time you tone down the powder compact. Mumbai-based celebrity make-up artist Elton Fernandez suggests only using a pressed compact on your nose and forehead—which will help with any excess oiliness—as opposed to dabbing multiple layers all over your face.

Make sure your brows are positioned rightWhile grooming and filling your brows does wonders for your face, don’t extend and elongate them inwards to a point where they almost meet—another mistake Fernandez spots all the time. Make sure your inner points are in line with the inner corners of your eyes. Fernandez also believes that there needs to be some thought put into your bindi and maang tikka—they can overpower each other if not selected and placed correctly.

Don’t wear every hair pin you can find“[Most brides have] too many hair pins that are visible. There’s a trick to even applying them so they don’t show at all. Unless you’re going for something decorative,” says Fernandez. We know you’re worried that your hairstyle won’t stay, but going overboard in the process is more common than not.

Embrace your natural skin colour“One of the biggest beauty challenges for Indian brides are dealing with aunties whose sole advice for the bride is to look fairer, brighter and lighter,” says Mumbai-based Bollywood make-up artist and hairstylist Daniel Bauer. “Hands down, the most beautiful brides are those who stay close to their natural skin tone. Trust you make-up artist and photographer—they are there to make you look and feel as beautiful as possible.”

Don’t play matchy-matchy“Matching your eyeshadow to your outfit is a big no-no,” says celebrity make-up artist Sandhya Shekar. Try a neutral hue that works for your outfit and play with that colour family instead.

Ensure your base make-up is long-lasting, but lightweight“Wanting to try 100 different things on your wedding day will make you look like a Christmas tree,” says Shekar. “If your foundation is too heavy, a lot of brides don’t end up looking like themselves. Keep your base make-up light so you look the way you generally do, as opposed to looking like somebody else, which can happen when you have a lot of make-up on. Stay away from any high-definition powder that can give you white residue under your eyes.”